www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi
Last year three of us (NickB, Paul and Rogerdodge) visited Switzerland - and the marvelous Guy Padfield for LOTSW I. LOTSW is Last Of The Summer Wine which is three old farts bumbling around the countryside.
At this moment in time we are now in the South of France with the equally marvelous Roger Gibbons.
Today we saw 35 different species - including this bad boy. We will create a nice trip report shortly after we gat back to UK.
Suffice it to say - we have 3 really good friends having a fabulous time being very slightly eccentric Englishmen in France.

What's that!

With Pete in mind from LOTSW1, I wish to tell Rogerdoge his is a b$^^$%d for getting such a stonking SWA photo and making it not worthwhile even looking at mine. HA, but at least I have ballus sorry Rog.

(edit) sorry Susie, it's a Southern White Admiral, and we ALL wish you had been here with us to see it

Great stuff! I'm looking forward to your report and piccies when you get back.

Have a wonderful time.

Guy

It sounds as if you are having a cracking time, I wouldn't want to spoil you boys' fun!

I am really looking forward to seeing your photos when you return.

Susie... we don't agree you would spoil anything, but we do understand.
Two sorts of Festoon... more to come in due course
Here's a quiz... spot the raptor...

This trip just gets better and better!!
(and I also have ballus now)

....despite a cloudy and rainy first day, we quickly found something interesting to photograph on Day 2....

dedicated to the cause......

Dedication II

More! More!

(Butterflies, that is, not naked doctors...)

Guy

padfield wrote:More! More!

(Butterflies, that is, not naked doctors...)

Guy

For a moment you had me worried

Who would have thought we were all going to turn into naturist photographers on this holiday...?

(I too, of course, am completely naked behind the camera on the first shot shot I posted, as was Roger taking a shot of Paul.......
Modesty, fortunately, does not allow any further photographic evidence .... )
N

I thought the correct term was "naturalist" - I think you've misread some of the books you've been reading But what you lot get up to in your spare time is your own business

Hope you didn't pick up any ticks (other than butterfly ticks) while your "privates" were in the undergrowth, Paul

Cheers,

- Pete

... a bloke can take his top off to get a tan can't he .... but I did wonder how I had developed several more testicles .... now to find the tick remover

OK, Guy; some more of the same....
Festoons are quite variable...
N
...ouch, Paul. How is it that you only find them when they've grown fat & large enough to notice...

Pete Eeles wrote:I thought the correct term was "naturalist"...
- Pete

I refer you to this link :
http://www.naturistsociety.com/
Edit: Warning, not for the feint-hearted...

These topless butterfly photographers - maybe starting a trend.

Susie?

Jack

Paul wrote:... a bloke can take his top off to get a tan can't he (

Hi Paul,
in my view you can't beat wandering about in a field photographing new butterflies while getting a tan in just shorts ! A warm spring or summer meadow with the smell of herbs under your feet (sorry herbs, but you do smell great!) can't be beaten. Look forward to the rest of the photos, I'm only sorry I couldn't be there (I'm sure Guy's information and help is priceless regarding species and spots) . I've just returned from France (South Cevennes region) for a week and enjoyed it immensely, apart from the odd day washed-out from the rain. Beats really dry landscape though, having ventured to Andalucia last August. Like yourselves I have tons of pics to wade through, though no Festoons unfortunately. I will post a full report as soon as I get a chance. I want to catch up with what's happened here first. Some of my garden looked very dry
Michael

Jack Harrison wrote:These topless butterfly photographers - maybe starting a trend.

Susie?

Jack

I wouldn't consider it, the poor chaps wouldn't know where to point their cameras first and we'd miss out on some of these fabulous photographs.

This is a most entertaining thread though and the pictures are great. And yes, I can see the raptor in that festoon photograph, Paul.

Susie wrote:

Jack Harrison wrote:These topless butterfly photographers - maybe starting a trend.
Susie?
Jack

I wouldn't consider it, the poor chaps wouldn't know where to point their cameras first and we'd miss out on some of these fabulous photographs.
This is a most entertaining thread though and the pictures are great. And yes, I can see the raptor in that festoon photograph, Paul.

Susie - You will always be one of the boys to us....